KVR Audio

Astralv · Post by **Astralv** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:38 pm

Hey guys
I am considering to upgrade The Absolute VST Instrument Collection 1 to 2. I already have HALion Sonic 2, but upgrade includes HALion 5. I remember when I was buying Halion Sonic 2, my impression was they they share the same sounds but less features. When I started using it, I noted that it would hold different instruments kind of like Kontact does... So what is the difference between these two?

The Absolute VST Instrument Collection
https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/v ... start.html

HALion 5 and HALion Sonic 2

https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/v ... start.html

Thank you.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:52 pm

Halion Sonic 2 is included in Halion 5

Halion 5 is not included in Halion Sonic 2

Astralv · Post by **Astralv** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:42 pm

Thank you for your reply. How much more would i get if i update? It also includes groove master. I have many drum plug-ins including Maschine. Is it worth $200 for the upgrade? I do love Yamaha sounds and have Motif. .. but basically the difference is only Halion 5, so if it made of sonic 2 plus few extra sounds. ...

mrgrim3 · Post by **mrgrim3** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:43 pm

https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/v ... ne_up.html here friend

this is the comparison link

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:46 pm

You can find the comparison here: http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/vs ... ne_up.html

Edit: mrgrim3 won the race..

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:50 pm

The real major difference which, to me, makes them two completely different things is this...

Sample editor
Slicing
AudioWarp
Sample import

Of course the difference in price is also considerable.

Astralv · Post by **Astralv** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:56 pm

Thank you for the table. I was looking for it. So if Halion 5 is 15 gb and sonic is 14 gb, then 14 out of 15 gb of halion 5 is sonic 2, which gives it additional 1 gb of sounds that Sonic 2 does not have? I don't think they have all different sounds. And they should. Also all the synth libraries like Dark planet already included, so what is 200$ for?
Sample editor
Slicing
AudioWarp
Sample import are nice if you have time to use them. It is not like it will be utilized in factory presets. If presets almost identical for both synth, we will not hear the slicing or audiowrap.

mrgrim3 · Post by **mrgrim3** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:01 pm

from what i understand halion is a rompler/sampler/sound design tool and the virtual synth engines like trip voltage and halion sonic 2 is more of a rompler/virtual synth engine and less sound design options with no sampler function

im not 100% sure though i only have halion sonic se 2

DodgingRain · Post by **DodgingRain** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:12 pm

Think of Sonic 2 as a preset machine with a little bit of tweaking allowed. Think of Halion5 as a full blown sampler with lots of tweaking allowed.

If you just need a bunch of sounds and you're not going to deep dive into synthesis Halion Sonic 2 is fine. If you want to create sounds from scratch, do sampling, do major tweaks to sounds, etc. get Halion 5.

Googly Smythe · Post by **Googly Smythe** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:18 pm

wagtunes wrote:The real major difference which, to me, makes them two completely different things is this...

Sample editor
Slicing
AudioWarp
Sample import

Of course the difference in price is also considerable.

Also, 32 slots instead of 16, 64 outputs instead of 16, unlimited layers instead of 4, way deeper editing, modular interface.
Once you've used HALion, it's unlikely you'll go back to Sonic.

Astralv · Post by **Astralv** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 10:10 pm

I like Sonic 2. It has this typical Yamaha Motif sound and even sound categories. It also works like Kontact, so my Hypnotic Dance, Triebwerk and Dark planet show up as the Libraries inside the Sonic 2. So I am wondering if Sonic 2 shows inside of Halion 5? I will not be using sampling. I have millions of plugins. I am a preset person. Slicing and AudioWarp (what ever it is) is nice IF it was implemented/ utilized in HALion 5 presents. If the presets the same as Sonic 2, I dont see how it would justify 200$ upgrade. Also, I dont think I currently have HALion Symphonic Orchestra or The Grand libraries. But I can live without them- I have Komplete 10 Ultimate and East West Composers libraries. Why did I consider to upgrade to Ultimate 2? Because I want to buy something, and nothing is being released in a while. I am bored. But if Halion 5 is Sonic 2 with editing abilities, I dont have to have it...

Aleister7 · Post by **Aleister7** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 10:45 pm

Halion 5 has a lot more great presets than Sonic 2, even if they share the same samples. And of course the editing flexibility and additional sound slots.
Sonic doesn't show up in Halion 5; opening Halion 5 is the equivalent of opening Sonic, just with all the extra features and presets.

I personally love Halion 5, and I don't do much editing. And I also have almost everything from East West, as well as Arturia, AAS, Ivory II, Eduardo Tarilonte (Forest Kingdom II, Medieval Legends, Desert Winds, Epic World - all excellent), SampleTank 3 (ST3 sucks, IMHO), Synthmaster, UVI, etc. (I don't have Komplete, though I'd love to get Absynth and a few others).
If you don't think you want to get Halion 5, I highly recommend checking out the Eduardo Tarilonte stuff or Synthmaster, depending on your interests.

Astralv · Post by **Astralv** » Sat Sep 05, 2015 2:50 am

Yeah, I do have synth master and all other synths- I was talking about orchestral collections and that I dont need more of them. I do like Sonic 2, would not mind to make it better IF it offered new presets. Absolute VST Instrument Collection 1 is nice, trying to justify the upgrade to "2". But for the years I own "1", they never released any new sound libraries for it.

What is the difference between HALion 5 and HALion Sonic 2?